Multi-drive portable computer

ABSTRACT

A notebook computer base housing has operatively disposed therein a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, an AC/DC electrical power converter, a modem, a PCMCIA card bay structure and a battery. This internal provision of three drive units in addition to the other equipment within the base housing is facilitated from a space standpoint by the vertical stacking of the hard disk drive atop the CD ROM drive within the base housing. To dissipate the operating heat from these components within the base housing, a heat spreader plate is interposed between the CD ROM drive and the overlying hard disk drive, and the high heat-generating components—namely, the modem, the AC/DC converter, the PCMCIA card bay structure, and the computer processor—are closely grouped together, with the AC/DC converter in thermal communication with a second heat spreader plate. The processor is disposed above the other high heat-generating components on a horizontally oriented main system circuit board. with the circuit board having top and bottom side heat sink members thermally communicated with the processor. An axial fan disposed in the base housing creates an upper flow of cooling air that passes over the upper heat sink member, and a lower flow of cooling air that passes over the lower heat sink member and the heat-generating components grouped below the processor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to portable computersand, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to aportable notebook computer having operatively disposed in its baseportion three drive units—a floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive and aCD ROM drive—in addition to an internal modem and AC/DC adapter, a dualPCMCIA card bay, and a battery.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Small portable computers, such as the increasingly popularnotebook computer, continue to become more sophisticated, powerful andmore like their larger desktop counterparts in terms of overallversatility of use. As it has evolved, the notebook computer typicallycomprises a generally rectangular base housing with a keyboard andpointing device mounted on its top side. A lid housing is hinged to arear top side edge portion of the base housing for pivotal movementrelative thereto between (1) a closed storage and transport orientationin which the lid extends across and covers the top base housing side,and (2) an upwardly pivoted use orientation in which a the keyboard andpointing device are exposed, and a display screen in the inner side ofthe lid housing faces the user of the computer.

[0005] The base housing of a conventional notebook computer is of agenerally rectangular configuration and typically has a left-to-rightlength of approximately 11″; a front-to-rear width of approximately 9″;and a vertical thickness of approximately 1.5″. Compared to the volumewithin a typical desktop computer housing, the volume within a notebookcomputer base housing is extremely small. Yet it within this diminutiveinterior space that the various electronic components of the notebookcomputer —such as its hard drive, system board, processor and thelike—must be operatively disposed.

[0006] Compared to desktop computers, early notebook computers werenoticeably slower and had considerably less operational versatility. Forexample, their processors tended to be slower and their hard drivestorage capacities were lower. Additionally, the conversion of ACelectrical power supplied to the computer to the necessary DC electricalpower for use by the computer was accomplished by a bulky exteriorconverter “brick” which had to be carted around as a needed accessoryfor the notebook computer.

[0007] As computer designers became more skilled at operatively placingmore components into the cramped interior confines of the notebookcomputer base housing, the notebook computer began to approach thedesktop computer in terms of speed, capacity and operationalflexibility. For example, later notebook computers were typicallyprovided with both an internal hard disk drive, an internal floppy diskdrive and, in some instances, an internal AC/DC converter. Later, as theincorporation of CD ROM drives became prevalent in desktop computers, itbecame desirable to also internally incorporate a CD ROM drive into thebase housing of a notebook computer.

[0008] However, at this point, two things had happened which forceddesigners to choose between the floppy drive and the CD ROM drive forinternal incorporation in the notebook computer base housing along withthe internal hard drive and the internal AC/DC power converter. First,there appeared to be insufficient physical room for three drive units(i.e., a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, and a CD ROM drive) andan internal AC/DC converter within the interior of a standard-sizednotebook computer base housing. Second, as these drive units, and thecomputer processor, became larger and faster, their combined operationalheat outputs, coupled with the operational heat of other internalcomponents such as the internal power converter, begin to exceed theamount of heat that could be effectively dissipated from the basehousing.

[0009] Accordingly, as a compromise, notebook computers were designed togive the consumer a choice of (1) an internal power converter, hard diskdrive and floppy disk drive, or (2) an internal power converter, harddisk drive and CD ROM drive—in other words, only two internal driveunits and an internal power converter. If the consumer ordered theinternal floppy disk drive, and also wanted a CD ROM drive, the CD ROMdrive had to be an external drive unit. On the other hand, if theconsumer ordered the internal CD ROM drive and also wanted a floppy diskdrive, the floppy disk drive had to be an external drive unit.

[0010] However, particularly to more sophisticated consumers having allthree drive units in their corresponding desktop computer, thiscompromise is not satisfactory. Accordingly, a need exists for aportable notebook computer capable of internally incorporating in itsbase housing portion (1) a hard disk drive, (2) a floppy disk drive, (3)a CD ROM drive, and (4) an AC/DC power converter. It is to this needthat the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In carrying out principles of the present invention, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a portable computer,representatively a notebook computer, is provided which comprises a basehousing having top and bottom sides, and a display screen housingsecured to the base housing for movement relative thereto between openand closed positions.

[0012] First, second and third drive units, an AC/DC electrical powerconverter and a processor are mounted within the base housing.Representatively, the first, second and third drive units arerespectively a CD ROM drive, a hard disk drive, and a floppy disk drive,with the hard disk drive being preferably mounted in a verticallystacked relationship with the CD ROM drive. Illustratively, the basehousing is formed from separable top and bottom sections, with the harddisk drive being carried in an open-bottomed well portion in the topbase housing section, with a heat spreader plate structure beingpositioned between the hard disk drive and the underlying CD ROM drive.

[0013] The processor and the AC/DC electrical power converter areadjacent one another within an interior portion of the base housing, anda cooling system is provided which is operative to create within thisinterior base housing portion a localized flow of cooling air whichpasses (1) into the base housing, (2) through the interior base housingportion and along the processor and the AC/DC electrical power converterstructure and then (3) outwardly from the base housing.

[0014] Preferably, a modem and a PCMCIA card bay structure are alsopositioned within the same base housing interior portion as theprocessor and AC/DC converter, and are cooled by the same localized flowof cooling air. According to another aspect of the invention, a bottomside portion of this interior base housing portion is defined by a heatspreader structure which is in thermal communication with the AC/DCpower converter structure. In accordance with another feature of theinvention, a first battery is operatively disposed within the basehousing, and the third drive unit is selectively replaceable with asecond storage battery.

[0015] The processor is representatively mounted on a horizontallydisposed circuit board that overlies the AC/DC power converter, themodem and the PCMCIA card bay structure. Top and bottom heat sinks arerespectively mounted on the top and bottom sides of the circuit boardand are in thermal communication with the processor. According toanother feature of the invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, thecooling system includes an axial fan mounted in the interior basehousing portion and operative to create (1) a first flow of cooling airthat passes along the bottom heat sink member, the AC/DC converter, themodem and the PCMCIA card bay structure and a lower portion of the fan,and (2) a second flow of cooling air that passes along the top heat sinkmember and through a top portion of the fan.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the top and bottom heat sinkmembers are spaced apart from and separate from the cooling fan. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the top heat sink member isconnected to the fan, in a heat conductive relationship therewith, andthe second flow of cooling passes through the upper fan portion via anopening in the top heat sink member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a simplified, partially phantomed perspective view of amulti-drive portable notebook computer embodying principles of thepresent invention.

[0018]FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale partially phantomed schematic top planview of the base housing portion of the computer showing the uniquearrangement of various of its internal components;

[0019]FIG. 2A is an enlarged scale partially phantomed schematic planview of a portion of an alternate base housing embodiment of thecomputer;

[0020]FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale simplified left end elevational viewof the base housing shown in FIG. 1;

[0021]FIG. 4 is an enlarged scale simplified right end elevational viewof the base housing shown in FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 6 is an enlarged scale simplified exploded perspective viewof part of a bottom side portion of the base housing shown in FIG. 1,and an associated portion of the main system circuit board of thecomputer;

[0023]FIG. 7 is an enlarged scale schematic cross-sectional view througha heat sink and processor portion of the circuit board taken along line7-7 of FIG. 6; and

[0024]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of theheat sink and cooling fan portion of the circuit board shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Perspectively illustrated in simplified form in FIG. 1 is aportable notebook computer 10 which embodies principles of the presentinvention. Computer 10 includes a base housing 12 having a generallyrectangular configuration and separable top and bottom sections 12 a.Base housing 12 has top and bottom side walls 14 and 16, front and rearside walls 18 and 20, and left and right end walls 22 and 24. As usedherein, the term “horizontal” means generally parallel to the top andbottom side walls 14 and 16, and the term “vertical” means generallyperpendicular to the top and bottom side walls 14 and 16.

[0026] Along front corner portions thereof the top side wall 14 hasspeaker perforations 26, and a pointing device, representatively a touchpad 28, is centrally positioned behind the perforations 26. Behind thetouch pad 28 is a keyboard assembly 30 removably retained in acomplementarily configured recess 32 formed in the top side wall 14 ofthe base housing 12.

[0027] A lid or display housing 34 is partially shown in phantom in FIG.1 and is secured by a hinge mechanism 36 to a rear top side edge portionof the base housing 12 for pivotal movement relative thereto between anupright use orientation (shown in FIG. 1) in which a display screen 38on the inner side of the lid housing 34 faces the user of the computer,and a horizontal storage and transport orientation (see FIGS. 3 and 4)in which the lid housing 34 extends across and essentially covers thetop side 14 of the base housing 12. A suitable latch structure (notshown) is provided for releasably holding the lid housing 34 in itshorizontal storage and transverse orientation.

[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, according to a key feature of thepresent invention, the base housing 12 has operatively disposed thereinthree drive units—a CD ROM drive 40, a hard disk drive 42, and a floppydisk drive 44—and an AC/DC power converter structure 46. Additionallydisposed within the base housing 12 are a modem 48, a dual PCMCIA cardbay 50 and a battery 52. The card bay 50 is adapted to removably receivevertically stacked upper and lower PCMCIA cards 54 and 56 and ispositioned inwardly adjacent a corresponding rectangular opening 50 aformed in the left base housing end wall 22 (see FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6).

[0029] The CD ROM drive 40 and the hard disk drive 42, in theirvertically stacked relationship, are disposed generally within a rightrear quadrant of the rectangularly configured base housing 12 (see FIG.2). CD ROM drive 40 is accessible through a rectangular opening 58 inthe right end wall 24 of the base housing 12 (see FIG. 4), and the harddisk drive 42 is supported on a peripheral lip portion, 60 of an open-12(see FIG. 4), and the hard disk drive 42 is supported on a peripherallip portion 60 of an open-bottomed well structure 62 carried within theupper base housing section 12 a.

[0030] Well structure 62 extends downwardly through a cutout area in ahorizontally oriented main system circuit board 64 which is verticallydisposed generally at the juncture between the separable top and bottomsections 12 a,12 b of the base housing 12. Interposed between the CD ROMdrive 40 (disposed in the bottom base housing section 12 b) and the harddisk drive 42 (carried within the top base housing section 12 a) is ahorizontally oriented metal heat spreader plate 66 to which operatingheat of the CD ROM drive 40 and the overlying hard disk drive 42 istransferred and dissipated during operation of the computer 10.

[0031] Battery 52 is disposed generally within a right front quadrant ofthe bottom base housing section 12 b and is accessible through acorresponding opening 68 (see FIG. 4). The floppy disk drive 44 (seeFIGS. 2 and 3) is disposed generally in a left front quadrant of thebottom base housing section 12 b and has a horizontally elongated diskinsertion slot 70 formed in the left base housing end wall 22. Floppydisk drive 44 is removably mounted within a interior base housing bayarea 72 (see FIG. 3) which is configured to operatively andinterchangeably accept either the floppy disk drive 44 (as schematicallyshown in FIGS. 2 and 3) or a second battery 52 a as schematically shownin FIG. 2A.

[0032] The AC/DC power converter structure 46, the modem 48 and the dualPCMCIA card bay 50 are disposed, as schematically shown in FIG. 2,generally within a left horizontally oriented main system circuit board64. A processor 74 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5-7) is operatively mounted onthe top side of the circuit board portion 64 a and is horizontallypositioned generally centrally within the left rear quadrant of thebottom base housing section 12 b.

[0033] An first aluminum heat sink member 76 is mounted on the top sideof the processor 74 (see FIGS. 5-7) in thermal communication therewith,and a second aluminum heat sink member 78 is mounted on the bottom sideof the circuit board portion 64 a, under the processor 74 and is inthermal communication with the processor 74 through vias 80 (see FIG. 7)associated with the processor and extending through the circuit boardportion 64 a.

[0034] As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, a plenum area 82 is formedwithin the left rear quadrant portion of the bottom base housing section12 b. In general, the plenum area 82 is bounded along a top side by thecorner portion 64 a of the circuit board 64; bounded along a front sideby portions of the AC/DC converter 46 and modem 48; bounded along itsright side by a portion of the AC/DC converter 46; bounded along itsrear side by the floppy drive/battery bay area 72; bounded along itsleft side by the left base housing end wall 22; and bounded along itsbottom side by a metal heat spreader plate 84 in thermally conductivecommunication with the AC/DC power converter structure 46.

[0035] The PCMCIA bay structure 50 is supported on the underside of thecircuit board corner portion 64 a (see FIGS. 5 and 6), in a downwardlyspaced relationship therewith, by posts 86, and is received within theplenum 82. A spaced series of air inlet openings 88 (see FIGS. 3, 5 and6) are formed through the left base housing end wall 22 above theopening 50 a therein, and are vertically positioned between the top sideof the PCMCIA card bay structure 50 and the underside of the circuitboard corner portion 64 a (see FIGS. 3 and 5). For purposes laterdescribed herein, a gap 90 is left between the left side edge 92 of thecircuit board 64 and the inner side of the left base housing end wall22.

[0036] As can best be seen in FIG. 2, of the various components mountedwithin the portable computer base housing 12, the highest operating heatgenerating components—namely, the AC/DC converter 46, the modem 48, thePCMCIA card bay 50 (in which operating heat is produced by theheat-generating circuit board structures 54,56 inserted therein), andthe processor 74—are closely grouped together, representatively within aleft rear quadrant area of the base housing 12.

[0037] The dissipation of operating heat from these closely grouped,high heat-generating components is effectively achieved by means of aspecially designed cooling system 94 (see FIG. 6) embodying principlesof the present invention. Coupled with the vertical stacking of two ofthe drive units, representatively the CD ROM drive 40 and the hard diskdrive 42, this specially designed cooling system enables the mounting ofthe three drive units 40,42,44 and the AC/DC converter 46 (along withthe other depicted components) conveniently within the interior of thebase housing 12. Accordingly, this eliminates the necessity of providingeither the CD ROM drive 40, the floppy disk drive 44 or the AC/DCconverter 46 as an external unit outside of the base housing 12.

[0038] The cooling system 94, as shown in FIG. 6, includes the top andbottom processor heat sinks 76 and 78; the thermally conductive heatspreader plate 82 extending along the bottom side of the plenum 82; theair inlet openings 88 formed in the left base housing end wall 22; asmall axial fan 96 representatively having a rectangularly configuredplastic body 98 (see FIGS. 2, 5 and 6) and a horizontally orienteddischarge axis; an upper set of air discharge openings 100 a (see FIG.5) formed in the rear side wall of the top base housing section 12 adirectly behind an upper portion of the fan 96; and a lower set of airdischarge openings 100 b formed in the rear side wall of the bottom basehousing section 12 b directly behind a lower portion of the fan 96. Asindicated in FIG. 6, a rectangular notch 102 is formed in the front sideedge 104 of the circuit board portion 64 a to receive a vertical rearportion of the fan body 98.

[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, during operation of the computer10 and its cooling fan 96, operating heat from the AC/DC converter 46 isconducted to and spread throughout the spreader plate 84 extending alongthe bottom side of the plenum 82, and the fan 96 draws ambient coolingair 106 inwardly through the air inlet openings 88 and into the plenum82. A first portion 106 a of air 106 entering the plenum 82 is caused tosweep along the plenum 82, the PCMCIA card bay structure 50, and alongthe bottom side of the circuit board portion 64 a and the lowerprocessor heat sink 78 thereon before being discharged through the lowerdischarge openings 100 b via a lower portion of the fan 96. A secondportion 106 b of the entering air 106 is drawn upwardly through the gap90 (see FIG. 5), to above the top side of the circuit board portion 64a, and is then drawn along the top side of the circuit board portion 64a and along the top processor heat sink 76 before being dischargedthrough the upper discharge openings 100 a (see FIG. 5) via an upperportion of the fan 96.

[0040] In this manner, plenum heat from the components therein and theheat spreader plate 84 and a first portion of the processor heat aretransferred to a first portion of the cooling air traversing interior ofthe base housing 12, and a second portion of the processor heat istransferred to a second portion of the cooling traversing the interiorof the base housing.

[0041] A left front corner portion 64 a of an alternate embodiment ofthe circuit board 64 is shown in FIG. 8 and has a higher speed processor(not shown) beneath its top aluminum heat sink member 76. To handle thehigher operating heat of this higher speed processor, an axial fan 96 a,having an aluminum body 98 a, is substituted for the previouslydescribed axial fan 96, and an upwardly and forwardly extending frontend projection 76 a is formed on the top heat sink 76 and conductivelysecured to a top rear edge portion of the aluminum fan body 98 a. Duringoperation of the fan 96 a, the upper cooling air flow 106 b is directedacross the top side of the circuit board portion 64 a, across the topheat sink member 75, through an opening 108 formed in the heat sinkextension 76 a, and outwardly through an upper portion of the fan 96 afor discharge through the top air discharge openings 100 a (see FIG. 5)in the rear side wall of the top base housing section 12 a. As can beseen, in addition to the convective heat transfer from the heat sink 76to the cooling air flow 106 b, the heat sink extension 76 a alsoconducts heat from the heat sink 76 directly to the aluminum fan body 98a for dissipation therefrom to ambient.

[0042] As can be seen from the foregoing, the unique positioning andarrangement of the various computer components within the base housing12 permits the illustrated three drive units and AC/DC converter (aswell as the other illustrated components) to be internally disposedwithin the base housing. Additionally, the close grouping of the highestheat generating components, and the use of the unique cooling system 94described above, permits the operating heat of these components to beeffectively dissipated to ambient without causing overheating of any ofsuch elements during operation of the portable notebook computer 10.

[0043] The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood asbeing given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit andscope of the present invention being limited solely by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable computer comprising: a base housinghaving top and bottom sides; a display screen housing secured to saidbase housing for movement relative thereto between open and closedpositions; a first drive unit; a second drive unit; a third drive unit;an AC/DC electrical power converter structure; means for operativelymounting said first, second and third drive units and said AC/DCelectrical power converter structure within said base housing; a circuitboard horizontally disposed within said base housing, said circuit boardhaving a processor thereon and first and second heat sink membersrespectively disposed on opposite first and second sides of said circuitboard in thermal communication with said processor, and a cooling fancarried by said base housing and operative to create (1) a first flow ofcooling air that passes along said first heat sink member and said AC/DCelectrical power converter structure and through a first portion of saidfan, and (2) a second flow of cooling air that passes along said secondheat sink member and through a second portion of said fan.
 2. Theportable computer of claim 1 wherein said portable computer is anotebook computer.
 3. The portable computer of claim 1 wherein: saidfirst drive unit is a CD ROM drive, said second drive unit is a harddisk drive, and said third drive unit is a floppy disk drive.
 4. Theportable computer of claim 1 wherein said means for operatively mountingare operative to mount said first and second drive units in a verticallystacked relationship within said base housing.
 5. The portable computerof claim 4 wherein: said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive, and saidsecond drive unit is a hard disk drive.
 6. The portable computer ofclaim 5 wherein said means for operatively mounting are operative tomount said hard disk drive above said CD ROM drive within said basehousing.
 7. The portable computer of claim 3 wherein said means foroperatively mounting are further operative to mount a battery in placeof said floppy disk drive within said base housing.
 8. The portablecomputer of claim 1 wherein said cooling fan is an axial fan having ahorizontally oriented axis.
 9. The portable computer of claim 8 whereinsaid first portion of said fan is positioned below said circuit board,and said second portion of said fan is position above said circuitboard.
 10. The portable computer of claim 9 wherein: said base housinghas an exterior wall portion with first and second spaced apart seriesof air flow openings formed therein, and said fan is positioned inwardlyadjacent said first series of air flow openings and is operative todischarge air outwardly therethrough while drawing air inwardly throughsaid second series of air flow openings.
 11. The portable computer ofclaim 1 wherein one of said first and second heat sink members issecured to said fan in a thermally conductive relationship therewith.12. The portable computer of claim 11 wherein said one of said first andsecond heat sink members has a flow passage extending therethrough tosaid fan.
 13. The portable computer of claim 12 wherein said one of saidfirst and second heat sink members is said second heat sink member. 14.The portable computer of claim 4 wherein: said base housing is formedfrom separable top and bottom sections, said means for operativelysupporting include a well formed in said top base housing section andadapted to receive said second drive unit, and said means foroperatively supporting are operative to position said first drive unitwithin said bottom base housing section beneath said second drive unit.15. The portable computer of claim 14 further comprising a thermallyconductive heat spreader plate positioned between said first and seconddrive units.
 16. A portable computer comprising: a base housing havingtop and bottom sides; a display screen housing secured to said basehousing for movement relative thereto between open and closed positions;a first drive unit; a second drive unit; a third drive unit; an AC/DCelectrical power converter structure; and means for operatively mountingsaid first drive unit, said second drive unit, said third drive unit andsaid AC/DC electrical power converter structure within said base housingwith said second unit being in a vertically stacked relationship withsaid first drive unit.
 17. The portable computer of claim 16 whereinsaid portable computer is a notebook computer.
 18. The portable computerof claim 16 wherein: said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive, saidsecond drive unit is a hard disk drive, and said third drive unit is afloppy disk drive.
 19. The portable computer of claim 18 wherein saidmeans for operatively mounting are operative to mount said hard diskdrive above said CD ROM drive within said base housing.
 20. The portablecomputer of claim 18 wherein said means for operatively mounting arefurther operative to mount a battery in place of said floppy disk drivewithin said base housing.
 21. The portable computer of claim 16 furthercomprising a heat spreader plate disposed between said first and seconddrive units.
 22. The portable computer of claim 16 wherein: said basehousing is formed from separable top and bottom sections, said means foroperatively supporting include a well formed in said top base housingsection and adapted to receive said second drive unit, and said meansfor operatively supporting are operative to position said first driveunit within said bottom base housing section beneath said second driveunit.
 23. The portable computer of claim 22 wherein: said well has asubstantially open bottom side, and said portable computer furthercomprises a heat spreader plate disposed between said substantially openbottom side and said first drive unit.
 24. A portable computercomprising: a base housing having top and bottom sides; a display screenhousing secured to said base housing for movement relative theretobetween open and closed positions; a first drive unit; a second driveunit; a third drive unit; an AC/DC electrical power converter structure;a processor; means for operatively mounting said first, second and thirddrive units, said AC/DC electrical power converter structure and saidprocessor within said base housing, with said processor and said AC/DCelectrical power converter structure being adjacent one another withinan interior portion of said base housing; and a cooling system operativeto create within said interior portion of said base housing a localizedflow of cooling air which passes (1) into said base housing, (2) throughsaid interior base housing portion and along said processor and saidAC/DC electrical power converter structure and then (3) outwardly fromsaid base housing.
 25. The portable computer of claim 24 wherein saidportable computer is a notebook computer.
 26. The portable computer ofclaim 24 wherein said means for operatively mounting are operative tomount said first and second drive units in a vertically stackedrelationship within said base housing.
 27. The portable computer ofclaim 24 wherein: said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive, said seconddrive unit is a hard disk drive, and said third drive unit is a floppydisk drive.
 28. The portable computer of claim 24 further comprising amodem disposed in said interior portion of said base housing andpositioned to be cooled by said flow of cooling air.
 29. The portablecomputer of claim 24 further comprising a bay structure adapted toremovably receive a heat generating circuit board device, said baystructure being disposed in said interior portion of said base housingand positioned to be cooled by said flow of cooling air.
 30. Theportable computer of claim 29 wherein said bay structure is a PCMCIAcard bay structure.
 31. The portable computer of claim 24 wherein saidinterior portion of said base portion has a bottom side at leastpartially defined by a heat spreader plate structure in thermalcommunication with said AC/DC electrical power converter structure. 32.The portable computer of claim 24 further comprising a batteryoperatively disposed within said base housing.
 33. A portable computercomprising: a base housing having top and bottom sides; a display screenhousing secured to said base housing for movement relative theretobetween open and closed positions; a first drive unit; a second driveunit; a third drive unit; an AC/DC electrical power converter structure;a modem; a bay structure adapted to removably receive a heat generatingcircuit board structure; a processor; means for operatively mountingsaid first second and third drive units, said AC/DC electrical powerconverter structure, said modem, said bay structure and said processorwithin said base housing, with said processor, said AC/DC electricalpower converter structure, said modem and said bay structure being in aclosely grouped relation within an interior portion of said basehousing; and a cooling system operative to create within said interiorportion of said base housing a localized flow of cooling air whichpasses (1) into said base housing, (2) through said interior basehousing portion and along said processor, said AC/DC electrical powerconverter structure, said modem and said bay structure, and then (3)outwardly from said base housing.
 34. The portable computer of claim 33wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer.
 35. The portablecomputer of claim 33 wherein said means for operatively supporting areoperative to mount said first and second drive units in a verticallystacked relationship within said base housing.
 36. The portable computerof claim 35 wherein said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive and saidsecond drive unit is a hard disk drive.
 37. The portable computer ofclaim 33 wherein: said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive, said seconddrive unit is a hard disk drive, and said third drive unit is a floppydisk drive.
 38. A portable computer comprising: a base housing havingtop and bottom sides; a display screen housing secured to said basehousing for movement relative thereto between open and closed positions;first and second drive units disposed within said base housing; an AC/DCelectrical power converter structure disposed within said base housing;a space disposed within said base housing and adapted to receive a thirddrive unit; a circuit board horizontally disposed within said basehousing, said circuit board having a processor thereon and first andsecond heat sink members respectively disposed on opposite first andsecond sides of said circuit board in thermal communication with saidprocessor, and a cooling fan carried by said base housing and operativeto create (1) a first flow of cooling air that passes along said firstheat sink member and said AC/DC electrical power converter structure andthrough a first portion of said fan, and (2) a second flow of coolingair that passes along said second heat sink member and through a secondportion of said fan.
 39. The portable computer of claim 38 wherein saidportable computer is a notebook computer.
 40. The portable computer ofclaim 38 wherein said first drive unit is a CD ROM drive and said seconddrive unit is a hard disk drive.
 41. The portable computer of claim 38wherein said first and second drive units are disposed in said basehousing in a vertically stacked relationship.
 42. The portable computerof claim 38 wherein said space disposed within said base housing isconfigured to receive a floppy disk drive.
 43. The portable computer ofclaim 38 wherein said space disposed within said base housing isconfigured to receive a third drive unit or a battery.
 44. A portablecomputer comprising: a base housing having top and bottom sides; adisplay screen housing secured to said base housing for movementrelative thereto between open and closed positions; a first drive unitdisposed in said base housing; a second drive unit disposed in said basehousing; an AC/DC electrical power converter structure disposed in saidbase housing; a processor disposed in said base housing, said processorand said AC/DC electrical power converter structure being adjacent oneanother within an interior portion of said base housing; a spacedisposed in said base housing and adapted to receive a third drive unit;and a cooling system operative to create within said interior portion ofsaid base housing a localized flow of cooling air which passes (1) intosaid base housing, (2) through said interior base housing portion andalong said processor and said AC/DC electrical power converter structureand then (3) outwardly from said base housing.
 45. The portable computerof claim 44 wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer. 46.The portable computer of claim 44 wherein said first and second driveunits are in a vertically stacked relationship within said base housing.47. The portable computer of claim 24 wherein: said first drive unit isa CD ROM drive, said second drive unit is a hard disk drive, and saidspaced disposed within said base housing is adapted to receive a floppydisk drive.
 48. The portable computer of claim 44 further comprising amodem disposed in said interior portion of said base housing andpositioned to be cooled by said flow of cooling air.
 49. The portablecomputer of claim 44 further comprising a bay structure adapted toremovably receive a heat generating circuit board device, said baystructure being disposed in said interior portion of said base housingand positioned to be cooled by said flow of cooling air.
 50. Theportable computer of claim 49 wherein said bay structure is a PCMCIAcard bay structure.
 51. The portable computer of claim 24 wherein saidinterior portion of said base housing has a bottom side at leastpartially defined by a heat spreader plate structure in thermalcommunication with said AC/DC electrical power converter structure. 52.The portable computer of claim 24 further comprising a batteryoperatively disposed within said base housing.